In one minute, we breathe 20 times. We do not aware of the various pollutant gases and fine particles inhaled into our lungs, such as dust, fumes, granular plumbum, granular carbon, hydrocarbon, and other toxic chemical materials directly enter our respiratory system. People seem to get used to cough in Jakarta. In fact, cough is a body mechanism in rejecting unknown materials that enter into the respiratory track, as the sign that the inhaled air is not healthy.

UNEP (United Nations for Environmental Program) concluded that Jakarta is the 3rd polluted city after Mexico City and Bangkok.

Two epidemiology researches conducted by American Cancer Society and Harvard University, which are recently published, showed that people who live in a city in which the air is polluted, have increasing premature mortality risk, compared to those who live in healthier cities.
Children are the most who suffer from the polluted air because their lungs have not perfectly developed and their body resistance is not yet strong.

Currently, air pollutant level for the parameters of NOx, hydrocarbon, and total solid particles (TSP) on the streets of Bandung has reached two times above the threshold. Indeed, several places have reached threefold.

This high pollution level, other than is caused by the increasing vehicles, is also caused by hollow shape of the land of Bandung. With that condition, dust, or fumes, stay on the street and are unable to get out from the hollow. Bandung is in the second polluted city after Jakarta. The result is that 48% people often feel dizzy and suffer from headache every day. The rest admit that they suffer from respiratory disease.

Kompas, 5 Agusuts 1996
- THE MYSTERY OF MITES AS THE CAUSE OF ASTHMA.

Our spring bed, carpet, or doormat, seems to be clean and free from dust because they are cleaned everyday using vacuum cleaner. In fact, under the thickness of the spring bed and carpet, dust mites are there. Those eyeless insects eat the peeled pieces of dead skin of the mammalian in the house. A mite can produce 40 grains pellet in a day, which then get into the respiratory system together with the floating dust. Under-age children which are developing their immune system are prone to asthma and allergy.

In six cities, namely Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Medan, Jambi, and Pekanbaru, the air condition which is considered good only happen within 22-62 days in a year, or not more than 17%.
In Pontianak and Palangkaraya, people have to breathe air categorized as dangerous, each within 88 and 22 days.

Tabloid RUMAH
– 14 Mei 2009. AIR PURIFIER, IS IT EFFECTIVE?

Recently, there appear many air conditioning products featured with air purifier, or air purification. This product emphasizes on the ability of removing bacteria and negative ions in the air, that is spread in a room. Thus, it is claimed that the air will be healthier to breathe and the quality will be better. In fact, there are several things to consider when we choose air purifier which is going to be used at home, especially the technology used.

This is because not all of the following air purifier are save and effective to use.

Ultraviolet Air Purifier.
It uses technology with ultraviolet light to destroy the DNA from microorganisms, such as bacteria and viruses. However, it does not remove dangerous gases and particles in the air.

Ionic Air Purifier.
This air purifier uses negative ion and holds particles in the air. It holds, especially, dust and other microorganisms. Nevertheless, this technology does not remove chemical compounds, and sometimes, it attaches particles on the wall around the air purifier..

Air Purifier With Ozone.
Ozone is used to oxidize particles and chemical compounds in the air. However, this gas becomes very dangerous if it is directly inhaled by human.

Air Purifier With Ion Freezer.
This type of air purifier uses electrically charged plate to attach particles in the air. Its weakness is the ability is not so big that the air is not really different with the air with particles in it.

Electrostatic Air Purification.
The technology that is used is almost similar with the technology of ion freezer, that is, using electrically charged plat. However, it has additional feature, i.e. a fan that serves to provide much air. It is suitable for indoors environment, but should not be used for those who suffer from asthma because it cannot absorb the chemical compounds in the room.

7 Mistakes When Choosing Air CleanerProducts

Air Cleaner with Plasmacluster Ion GeneratorThis machine releases hydroxyl radicals (OH) to the air. OH radical is associated with several diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer. Ion generator will release negative ions to the air to capture positive ions which often attach to particles on wall, curtains, tables, and floor around the air purifier.

HEPA or HEPA-Type Air Cleaner Not all filters are true HEPA. HEPA filter or HEPA-type is low-quality filter with the efficiency level of 25% to 85% compared to TRUE HEPA, which has filtration level of 0,3 micron with efficiency of 99,97%. However, consumers are made to believe that they bought HEPA filter – indeed, they have bought HEPA type. The outer package of the original products state that they are HEPA filter (it is not wrong, but these purifiers are not true HEPA filter). The fact is that 98,5% of particles are smaller than 0,3 micron (standard of TRUE HEPA).

Air Cleaner with Ozonizer
Ozone is used for oxidizing particles and chemical compounds in the air. However, this gas becomes hazardous contaminant when it is directly inhaled by human (it has been prohibited by the US EPA and Singapore National Environmental Agency).

Ultraviolet Air Cleaner This is a technology that uses ultraviolet light to destroy the DNA of microorganisms, such as bacteria and virus. Nevertheless, it does not remove gases and particles in the air. Remainders of bacteria and fungi which have been killed by the ultraviolet radiations can be re-circulated to the air.

Ion Air Cleaner Its main function is not to clean the air, but to release negative ions that serve for health. Negative ions will attach particles in the air. However, this technology does not remove chemical compounds and often attach to particles on the wall, curtain, table, and floor around the air purifier. There is no standard test and the efficiency is very low. It produces ozone that is hazardous for our health.

Electrostatic Air Cleaner
This filter works using electrically charged plat. The filter is washable but the efficiency is low. It generates ozone that risks our health. This filter also produces splashing sounds when it works. It should not be used by asthma and allergy sufferers because it cannot infiltrate gases and chemical compounds indoor.

Air Cleaner with Ion Freezer
This technology is almost similar with electrostatic technology that used electrically charged plate to hold particles in the air. The ability is not so big that the air condition is not significantly different with the air containing particles.

7 Mistakes When Choosing Vacuum Cleaner Products

Vacuum Cleaner with Powerful Suction
Generally, people think that the power to clean comes from the strong suction. In fact, the cleaner power is the airflow. It has been proved by the fact that while the suction is powerful, dust bag system vacuum ability will decrease after 15-20 minutes of usage. It is because bigger dusts block the pores of the dust bag and makes the vacuum no longer able to hold pollutants effectively, or, it loses the power.

Vacuum Cleaner With Paper / Filter Dust Bag
Vacuum cleaner with paper / filter dust bag has closer pores in order that not much pollutant gets back into the air. However, the problem is the closer the pores of the dust bag the easier it is blocked by bigger particles. When the vacuum pores are clogged, the airflow will decrease drastically that makes it no longer able to hold pollutant from the surface after 15-20 of its usage.

Vacuum Cleaner With Cloth Dust Bag
Vacuum cleaner with dust bag made from clothes has more open pores on its dust bag that prevent the dust bag from being clogged by pollutant. The main problem is that the more particles that are smaller than vacuum pores, the easier they are released to the air, such as bacteria, fungi, microbe, dust mite, and allergens.

Water Vacuum Cleaner The efficiency of vacuum cleaner that uses water as filter cannot be clearly measured because not all particles, gas, smoke, and odor are filtered by water. Not all particles can dissolve in and be bound with water because of different density. Users have to change the water regularly and clean the separator after being used to prevent particles comes out to the air and causes unpleasant smell. Generally, water vacuum is noisy when it is used. In a medical report in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Vol. 91 year 1993, water vacuum proved that 100% of allergens are not filtered by water.

This type of vacuum cleaner:
In fact some vacuum cleaners that are DII market was concerned with health, but not all effective.
It also includes a vacuum cleaner that uses water as a filter media.
Research : Judith MB ChB et al, The effect of vacuum cleaners on the concentration and particle size distribution Of airbone cat allergen.
Journal of Alergy and Clinical Immunology 1993: 91: 829 - 37

Vacuum Cleaner Using HEPA Filter
Vacuum using HEPA filter has similar process with that of dust bag made from paper, in which the pores are so close that is easy to clog by larger particles that cause the airflow decreases drastically after 15-20 minutes of its usage. This results in the losing power of the vacuum in cleaning the pollutants from the surface. HEPA filter system is not able to filter all particles and has been tested that it can only filter 99,9% of 0,3 micron. The fact is that 98,5% particles are smaller than 0,3 micron.

Water + HEPA Filter Vacuum Cleaner Water-based system can only hold particles or dirt which are dissolved in water. Particles that are not soluble or bound with water, such as microbe and bacteria as the trigger of allergy and asthma will be released back to the air and may be inhaled by human. Like most of water-based system + HEPA, this system will lose its efficiency up to 80% when the HEPA filter is clogged with particles, similar to vacuum cleaner using dust bag.

Wet and Dry System of Vacuum This vacuum usually uses water and dust bag that have been explained previously. The additional function is that it can suck water and wash. However, the fact shows that 95% media which are going to be cleaned is dry surfaces such as carpet, sofa, spring bed, floor, and curtain. This additional function is rarely used because it needs longer time to dry it. It smells bad when it is not fully dry, or damp. Moreover, it will leave a water marks in the inside of the sponge, carpet, or spring bed.